How often does a Defiant Encore need a new refractory assembly?

[SonOfEru]

I have an Encore 0028. It was bought in 1990, so it's really old now but was only used 5 years by the original owner, who then got central heat. I bought it two years ago so it's heading into its 8th year of use.

I have just replaced the cat, and I found the old one had deformed enough to push a big chunk of the refractory off the side. I did a homemade glue job with a high temp furnace cement, which seemed to hold together enough to slip the new cat in and get the cover plate back on, but I'm not highly confident it will stay long term.

I'm wondering - does the refractory get replaced after X number of years? I'm sure it's not like an oil change in my truck, but would one expect to replace it after 10 years or 20 or whatever? Or just when it obviously requires it?

Thanks

 

[begreen]

It's a somewhat fragile design and depends on the hours burned and how hot the stove was pushed. It used to be about every 5-8 yrs, but VC says they have improved the refractory material so maybe 10 yrs now with care?

 

[SonOfEru]

Yes it does appear to be rather fragile. And it was the dickens to glue that piece back into place. The cement I used was in a caulking tube, and not bad for being able to smear it on something, a little firmer than the consistency of, say, latex caulk for painting. Still, the surface of the refractory material tends to be rather dusty and it was hard to get the goop to stick to it. But I got enough into where it needed to go, that I could sit the piece back in place and it stayed, and the cement hardened like a rock, forming enough of a seam, like a cradle, around the edges, that it held, at least enough that it stayed in place until I could get the cover on. If it has fallen since then I won't know unless I take the cover off, and I hesitate to do that.

Anyway, enough of that.

I dont know how hard the previous owner ran it, but I dont think I overfired or banged on it. I'm in New Hampshire, so beginning in mid October or so, I run it full time, well into March.

I have an Auber AT100, and I did see it up to 1400* at times, but I pulled it back when I saw that. When I swapped out the cat I got to see it, and didnt see anything wrong except for the piece fallen off, but I did see as I reached down in to get it out, that the whole thing could be damaged pretty easily.

Thanks for the info. I think I will plan on a new one for next year.